Creative In the Kitchen: Kinda Apple Pie

The other night, I got a craving for apple pie. Never one to just stuff my desires down, I headed to the kitchen. Only two pie crusts remained in our freezer and my hubby had already claimed them in the name of black raspberry cream pie, so I was out of luck. . . or so I thought.

Eyeing the beautiful green Granny Smith apples on the table, I did a little more thinking. What was it that I really wanted? Did I care that my apple pie might not have a crust? No! I sure didn't. So, I got to work.

I sliced the apples into rings and then cut the cores out of them. I pulled out a medium sized skillet and melted two tablespoons of butter. In the pan went the apple rings. On top of the apples, I drizzled some honey and sprinkled on some cinnamon and nutmeg. I flipped the apple rings honey side down and let them brown on the heat at just a bit below medium.

The aroma of the cooking apples and cinnamon filled the house. On such rainy days that we've been having lately, it really felt like a warm, cozy Fall. Hubby came to see what I was cooking at 10 o'clock at night, his nose twitching. I ended up cooking 2 apples, then hubby said that he didn't want one of his own. But, when I came into the bedroom with the bowl, he snatched a couple of pieces for himself.

The recipe for these beauties is really non-specific. Melt, slice, drizzle and sprinkle. And, oh my, were they lovely. They completely satisfied my apple pie desire. The tartness of the Granny Smith apples was a nice contrast to the caramelized honey. I let them remain a little al dente because I prefer the texture that way, but I'm sure that you could cut them up smaller and stew them like they do at The Cracker Barrel restaurant.

Don't you just want to go and make some for yourself, right now?

So, necessity and a rumbling tummy are apparently the mother of creativity for today. What have you tried in the kitchen (or elsewhere) that turned out really well?

We're all visionaries, darlings. We just have to figure out where we excel.

When the Words Hurt

Our words, our thoughts and our feelings all have immense power in this world and, sometimes, those around us can say things that cut us right to the quick.

I have Fibromyalgia and suspected Systemic Lupus. Because of these things, I have lots of doctors appointments, take many medications and have tests run on me fairly regularly. I have this idea in my head that my friends care about how I'm doing, so I guess I run down the latest medical updates, unbidden, at times.

It seems that someone who I thought was a close friend just, apparently, got tired of hearing about it and said, "So, what's wrong with you, today?" His eyes rolled behind his glasses. My heart skipped, my reply froze in my throat and I turned in upon myself. How deflated I felt. How utterly betrayed. In that moment, I was not supported in my illnesses by one of my best friends and his words tore through me like a knife.

1st Birthday Party

It's nice to see you back, again, lovely peoples. For the upcoming weekend, Visionary Bri will be going dormant. This weekend, we're celebrating the first birthday of my one and only baby. This first year of being a mama has flown by so fast!

For her party, we're going with a Winnie the Pooh theme. Being a creative individual, I'm doing most of the stuff for the party, myself. I even made a special onesie for her, keeping with the theme. I cut the 1 out of yellow felt and hand embroidered around it and around the wrists.

Other ideas for her party, I found on Pinterest, specifically the cupcakes from this site, decor inspiration from this one and a cookie recipe all my own.

So, in order to focus on the party and all the things that need to be done for it, this blog will go dormant over the weekend. But, don't worry because I'll be back on Tuesday with your regularly scheduled blog post including more photos of all the things I made.


Until then, keep creating and remember that we're all visionaries. We just need to figure out where we excel!

Getting Started -- A Sketchbook. Now What?

Let's start at the beginning. You have a creative dream. You have at least one idea for a creative project that you would like to see manifest in this world and you've come to this blog for some mutual support. I'll assume, at this point, that you've taken my advice from the post The Most Important Tool and gotten yourself a journal or Sketch Book that feels right for you. So, now what?

The absolute very first thing I want you to do with your Sketchbook is to make it yours. I want you to introduce yourself to it. I want you to run your hand over the spine and get to know your partner on this journey. At times, I even talk to my Journal. My journal / sketchbook is totemic, to me -- meaning that my journal is a symbol of my dedication to living a creative, abundant and fun life. I want you to decorate the cover of your sketchbook, if you like. I want you to completely own and cherish this one tool. It is going to take you a long way and bring you closer to your dreams.

Creative in the Kitchen: Roasted Lemon Dill Chicken

Maybe it's a dream of yours to get creative in the kitchen. Well, babies, do I have some stuff for you! I will never be model-thin, again, no. And you know why? Because I and those around me have learned how to COOK. And damn well, I'd say.

I'd like to share a recipe with you that I tried this week. My husband ate his entire half of a 5.5 lb chicken and it makes this lovely tangy au jus that's just great for sopping up with bread. It's so easy and there are amazing results.


Roasted Lemon Dill Chicken

Creative Every Day: Business Cards

Awhile ago, I made a deal with myself. I wasn't getting as much creative work actually done as I would've liked. I had this drive, this desire to put my creative work out there in the world, but I couldn't put it out in the world if I didn't create it, right? I know. It seems obvious. I was full of dreams and lacking in drive partially due to my heath and partially due to fear (which I will address in an upcoming post).

So, I made a deal with myself. Every day, I would do 1 thing towards the goal of living a more creative life. I decided that this contract with myself should be something I could keep, so I allowed many things to count as activities in keeping with the contract. Researching how to do a new art technique would count. Playing in my Sketch Book  would count. Looking at the work of other artists to get inspired would count.

Free Stickers! Want Some?

One of my hobbies is entering Giveaways. 2 weeks ago, I won 250 custom stickers from PrintRunner. I decided to get them printed to help promote this blog.

Aren't they pretty?

PrintRunner did an awesome job. They let me okay proofs and told me possible issues with my original design. If you've got any sort of print job you need done, I'd highly recommend them. So, I've got 250 of these. I've been passing them out as I go about my life, here, in Indiana. If you live elsewhere and would like me to send you some stickers, I'd be glad to. Just drop me an email at brifloorwilson@gmail.com.

When you get them, feel free to drop them off at coffeehouses, book stores, colleges or just pass them out as you go about your life. Please, be respectful and don't stick them on . . . oh, I don't know . . . public or private property (unless it's you've got permission to). Just don't vandalize with them, k?

Back when I was in college, someone wrapped a sticker around the hood ornament of my car that said, "Do not insert in mouth or anus." Funny as it was, it was also a bit annoying.

Like I said, just drop me an email with your info and I'll get you some stickers in the mail, direct from me to you!

Thanks for helping me spread the love and creative encouragement.


Remember, my beautiful souls, that we are all visionaries. We just have to figure out where we excel!